Make numbers count

People in one study rated a disease that kills 1,286 people out of every 10,000 as more dangerous than one that kills 24.14% of the population (Yamagishi, 1997). But in fact, it’s about half as dangerous.

How small is small? One-third the size of a ladybug? The size of a sprinkle on an ice cream cone? Analogy, metaphor, simile and other comparisons can help your readers literally “see” the size and scale you’re communicating.